The FastDay Forum

Hi,

I'm going to give it another go. I haven't maintained a decent fast routine since the end of September.

I know IF works; I know I did do it! But every time I have started a fast day over the last six months, I have panicked. I make endless excuses: I'm coming down with a cold; the weather is bad; there is something delicious planned for everyone else's dinner; someone at work brought cake in; hubby forgot and made me a sandwich for lunch; I need to be on the ball at work.......... The list goes on

I have got to the point where I expect myself to fail. Even today (Sunday) when I think about fasting on Monday, I begin to prepare my excuses.

One thing that I know has changed is that I stopped using the forum, so, that's why I'm back - hope you'll have me, I think I'll need a lot of support.

Thanks for reading, Effie

Hi Effie, welcome back and hope you stick around with us this time as it really can make a huge difference. I'm sure you will succeed so stop with all the excuses, acknowledge that they are just excuses and jump back in, good luck,

Ballerina x

Have you thought about trying an eating window instead? Ballerina has the link in her sig. It may suit your lifestyle better. Good luck with whatever you decide.

welcome back, @effie! Hope you can get this WOE working for you again.

Have you interviewed yourself and asked,"so what is it about fasting DON'T you like?" - you might get some surprising answers, that aren't obvious if you wait a little and are a bit patient. Instead of just trying to make yourself do something that some part of you doesn't agree with - better to try to get an internal consensus (yes, really), so all of your parts can pull in the one direction. Sounds a bit weird, but might just work?

Good luck, anyway!

I have just read through Ballerina's eating window info, Brand-ie. I'm a lark, I wake up because I'm hungry. Food is the first thing I think about! I don't think an 8 hour window would work for me just yet.

At first, when I last used this WOE, I needed 3 small meals on a fast day, usually a scrambled egg for breakfast. As the weeks went by, I found I could manage without it and eventually ended up with black coffee for breakfast, miso soup for lunch only hitting solid food in the evening, so I guess this is the version that works for me - if I can get there.

I do think having to confess to you guys will help me more than confessing to myself, I'm more than happy to lie to myself

Thanks for your support. Let's do this!

Effie, my husband cannot and I mean CANNOT start the day without breakfast so the eating window is not for him. Do what works for YOU not what works for anyone else and you should not go far wrong,

Ballerina x

Hi Effie

I with you. I know IF works & I know I can do it but I allow myself to get distracted very easily while telling myself I'll get back on track tomorrow. Of course tomorrow is a long time coming.

I'm back after a couple of months off & NEED the forum to help me keep on track. I did the best ever when taking part in the Valentines Day Challenge so I'm looking for another one to join.

Good luck!

Hi Effie and good luck..lots of good advice in the above replies to help you back on track..it IS very easy to let things distract us. Good luck,remember we all struggle at times,remember you got yrself into a good routine for fast days that worked,so you can aim for that.Give yrself a bit of time to settle back in.xx
@patchworkperson good to see you x wondered where you were xx

Welcome. I think you are absolutely right to return to the forum. I couldn't do it without the 'fasting today' thread. I use it several times a day when I am fasting, checking on who else is in, getting support and supporting others. It's magic.

Hi have you thought about calling your "failure" days.....an inbetweenie day....that way you are not failing at all...its just a third day between a fast day and a feast day. So in the future if you find yourself eating more than 500 cals on your fast day..you have a choice.convert it into a feast day and eat your full allowance or rename it an inbetweenie day.
As for tomorrow plan today exactly what your 500 cals or so is going to consist of. Drink plenty of water. My secret weapon is oxo cubes..it takes the edge off and fools my vbody that I am having soup. Good luck.

Hi Effie,
I am in exactly the same place as you. I have struggled to get my head back into IF mode since last September. I lost 5 kg in 3 months and felt fabulous. But.. I became complacent and allowed my the excuses to take over. I have gained 2.5 of the 5 kg lost so need to get myself back into this way of eating before I am back to where I started this time last year! I am hoping not to fail - Fast day 1 begins tomorrow for me. Good luck.

Welcome back @Effie Firstly don't expect to fail because then you probably will, Glad you've returned and yes you'll get the support from everyone on this forum so stay forum motivated, try very hard tomorrow and if you only manage 16:8 to begin with that's fine and still good fasting time but don't overeat to compensate and obviously make healthy choices, Good luck with your restart you know this WOL works you know what you need to do, so let's get on and do this together I'm repairing a 4kg holiday damage gain and previous to that wasn't back to my December lowest.

Hi Effei, I noticed that your BMI is not far off from a healthy one. So you don't have a huge amount to lose and therefore you probably will lose a bit slower than obese people. This forum is a great tool of encouragement. I have used it as soon as I found myself a bit less enthusiastic. Specially looking at graphs of people and looking at their photos and the way they have transformed. I used your system of eating in the last year and only recently could go without breakfast and sometimes without food until dinner. I do this now because I have been at a plato since Feb and find it very difficult to lose the last half kilo I want to lose. Best of luck and keep at the forum.

Welcome back @Effie and how nice to see you again too @Patchworkperson! I am sure you can do this both of you. Tell yourself you won't fail.....that's the secret.

You can do it, just do it. Fluids only is a great way I find. Then if you fall off the wagon you can often still come in on target under 500 cals. I struggle without breakfast some days and must eat. I think just pick a couple of days use the fasting thread like Sally said and it will be ok